After the critical success of "Whiplash", director Damian Chazelle has returned with a new feature, this time around a beautiful musical. The film follows the story of Sebastian and Mia in Los Angeles. Sebastian is a jazz player who ambitions to own his own jazz club where he can play what he likes, improvise his music play and generally be his own man. Mia is a struggling actress, going to every audition she can get, and most of the times being ignored. They are drawn into each other, and eventually begin a relationship, one that is put to the test when their aspirations and dreams hit a challenging time.
"La La Land" manages to be simultaneously referential to the musicals of Classic Hollywood, but also to the work of celebrated french director Jacques Demy (who directed the classics "The Umbrellas of Cherbourg" and "The Young Girls of Rochefort"), all the while maintaining its own identity and uniqueness. The film is vibrant with the usage of color, melody and rhythm, and instantly inserts us viewers into the universe we're about to witness. And what a universe it is: the musical numbers are dazzling and fresh, with a perfect blend of drama and character context, before taking us away to dizzying heights of pure choreographed beauty. It's a film that lives from the rapport between the two leads, who are perfectly cast, and create indelible characters. The film is filled with beautiful details, that surface on the production design, or costume design, and how colors are used to accentuate emotions and particular scenes. It's a film that manages to capture the sweetness and longing of romance, while also taking us on a ride through jazz music. The cinematography from Linus Sandgren is stunning, as is the score by Justin Hurwitz. A great film worth watching!

Director Justin Kurzel and actors Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard are back in another collaboration, following last year's "Macbeth", which was met with really good reviews. This time around they are involved in the adaptation of the video game "Assassin's Creed", which has been around since 2007 and has enjoyed a long life with multiple sequels and offshoots. The film introduces us to the Assassins, a secret order who has existed for centuries, and has battled the Templars who are intent on possessing the Apple (the Apple of Eden), a device that allows to control all free will. The film focuses specifically on Callum Lynch, a convicted criminal, who is rescued from certain death, by a modern incarnation of the Templars, who are intent on retrieving the Apple, using a special device that allows for people with the same genetic code to relive their past experiences. This machine, named the Animus, takes Callum all the way back to Spain in 1492, where he gets to experience the events of his ancestor Aguilar de Nerha, who was also trying to prevent the Templars of seizing the device and subjugate the human race. As Callum further goes back in time, he also starts realizing how his ancestor had an impact on all his life, including the life and choices of his parents. This awakening sets him on a mission to destroy all that the Templars are intent on doing.
Justin Kurzel is a very talented director, with a distinct point of view and a style and aesthetic that are quite distinct. That was on display in "Macbeth", and is again one of the stronger points of "Assassin's Creed". For all the polish and incredible talent, both in front and behind the cameras, the screenplay and screen story are however too simplistic and ultimately unsatisfying to really justify the existence of this film. The central character never really exists beyond the quick premise, and how it suddenly finds itself at the hands of the Templars. Michael Fassbender is a fantastic actor, but he is expected to go from nearly dead, to salvaged and experiencing memories of an ancestor, without much aftermath or even understanding of the consequences of his actions (he apparently killed a "pimp" and that's how he found himself on death row). There's a lack of context to most characters, which is really puzzling, considering this film tries to be the introduction to this universe (there are good examples of how characters are introduced in this type of fantastic universe, case in point, Scott Derrickson's successful "Doctor Strange" adaptation). This is a film that misses the mark in creating characters that are alluring and enthralling - making a film that is visually stunning, isn't enough to give it a pulse or register with the audience. This is a sad disappointment, and here's hoping if indeed there is a sequel, it gets a much better screenplay.

Celebrated director Pablo Larrain is back, following his equally well received "Neruda" also from this year. "Jackie" which was originally intended to be directed by Darren Aronofsky (who instead decided to produce), focuses on the figure of Jackie Kennedy, during the assassination of President Kennedy in Dallas in 1963, and the events that follow that dramatic and traumatic occurrence in her life. The film introduces Mrs. Kennedy speaking with a journalist in order to give her perspective of the occurrences, and through her recollections, the events that unfolded during and after the assassination come to life. We also get further context into Mrs. Kennedy's life through a few iconic events that took place in her life as a First Lady, namely the broadcast from the White House in 1961, when she was involved in redecorating the residence of the President.
"Jackie" is a fantastic film that gives insight into one of the most dramatic events in the life of the USA as a country, and how that affected the life of the President's wife and children, in the immediate days following the assassination. The film is a character study, following the unravel of a woman who witnessed an horrific and dramatic moment, the assassination of her husband and father of her children, a man who was also the President of a nation. The mix and turmoil of emotions that come from this woman are all centered on the brilliant performance of Natalie Portman, who creates a performance that initially feels a bit stylized, but that as the film continues starts peeling away layers of how that woman is dealing with death, loss, uncertainty, fear and anger. The film manages to perfectly capture the ambience of the 60s, thanks to some brilliant production design and stunning cinematography (from Jean Rabasse and Stephane Fontaine respectively) and features a brilliant supporting cast, which includes luminaries such as Peter Sarsgaard, Billy Crudup, Greta Gerwig and John Hurt. A very good film worth watching.

Director Gareth Edwards is back with another big budget film, following his previous directorial effort, "Godzilla". "Rogue One" is an original story, within the "Star Wars" universe, expanding upon events that were alluded to in the original George Lucas' film from 1977. The film focuses on the story of Jyn Erso, a young woman who has been haunted by dark events ever since she was a child. When she was but a child, her father was taken by the evil empire to help them create weapons of mass destruction. Now an adult, Jyn is recruited by the rebels, in order to try to find her father so they can get insight into a massive weapon that was created by the imperial forces that has the power to destroy planets. It's a race against time for Jyn and her team to find her father, and ultimately the plans to destroy that weapon.
"Rogue One" is a film that uses the "Star Wars" mythology to expose its premise and what drives its action set pieces. The film functions as prequel to the events of the original "Star Wars" from 1977, and as such tries to build a coherent bridge with the events of that film. The film follows standard and familiar premises, such as the young hero who has lived her life trying to rebel against establishment, since she feels she was wronged by her family and by everyone in general. The rebels give her a sense of purpose, and she forms a bond with a motley crew who help her reach her goals. The story development is not exactly the most enticing and dramatically engaging, but the film does manage to add further dimension to this universe, by showcasing a dirtier side to something that was always so sterile in most of George Lucas' features. The visual effects are stunning and it's fantastic to see Peter Cushing back on the screen, but Ben Mendelsohn easily creates the most interesting character. Felicity Jones' Jyn Erso, who is at the core of the narrative, ends up being enveloped by the most of the action that is created around her, but still manages to give her some heart, even if the character lacks some edge. It's a professionally executed film, one that entertains, but that doesn't add much to the mythology of this franchise.

Prolific director Ridley Scott premiered two films in 2001: "Hannibal" and "Black Hawk Down", curiously both following his celebrated and awarded "Gladiator". "Hannibal" is a direct sequel to the iconic and classic "The Silence of the Lambs" from Jonathan Demme. The film once again is an adaptation of the novel by Thomas Harris, which focuses more on Hannibal Lecter than the previous which was anchored on the experiences of Clarice Starling. The story takes place 7 years after the events of "The Silence of the Lambs", with Lecter now living in Italy and working as a curator at a museum. Clarice Starling in the meantime is having troubles within the FBI, caused by a rival colleague who wants to sabotage her career. One of the survivors from Lecter's murdering spree, the disfigured (and very wealthy) Mason Verger, wants revenge for his condition, and uses Starling as bait to bring Hannibal back to the States.
Hannibal Lecter has become one charismatic and iconic character, thanks to Anthony Hopkin's performance in "The Silence of the Lambs". However, the character was always a second fiddle to the main narrative and main hero, namely Clarice Starling and Will Graham (in "Red Dragon"). With "Hannibal" Thomas Harris decided to place the killer at the center of the narrative, and while the film once again exhibits Ridley Scott's impeccable taste and craftsmanship, it's a flawed feature that relies more on gore and gruesome aspects, as opposed to tension and suggestion, which worked so well in Jonathan Demme's classic. Another aspect not quite as successful - what Anthony Hopkins managed to create in the original with a short limited presence (he was in "The Silence of the Lambs" for 24 minutes), was expanded to leading role, where the nuances of the character were almost all removed, becoming more of caricature of the original part. Julianne Moore also felt miscast, and feels terribly out of place. It's a film that once again displays Ridley Scott's unbalanced career: a strong focus on visuals but a lack of depth and character definition. A missed opportunity.

"Gosford Park" was one of Robert Altman's latest features, and one of his most celebrated (the film was nominated for 7 Academy Awards). The film written by Julian Fellowes, follows the events that occur during a weekend shooting party in the 1930s. The weekend gathers a big group of personalities, both the visitors and high society characters, alongside the service staff who's there to make sure everyone is attended to. All this diverse group of characters have secrets and obscure motivations to be there, and during that weekend these come to the surface. When the patriarch and sponsor of the lavish lifestyle, Sir William, is murdered, all these relationships and intentions start unraveling.
The script by Julian Fellowes is very much inspired by the British TV show "Upstairs/Downstairs" which ran between 1971 and 1975 (and in turn would inspire his celebrated TV show "Downton Abbey"). Robert Altman manages to perfectly capture the class differences and relationships between this wildly diversified group of characters, something that was a trademark of his (large ensemble casts depicting a particular universe, be it the country music scene in "Nashville" or the writings of Raymond Carver and the LA crowd in "Short Cuts"). While the narrative in itself doesn't bring anything profoundly different or new (class struggles in England in the 1930s), the film is fantastically well acted due to the quality of the enormous cast assembled, and it plays out like a well oiled production from BBC. It's a film that manages to have a good combination of humor and drama, while also featuring the beautiful cinematography from Andrew Dunn, and the great work from a talented production team. An entertaining film worth watching.

After his debut with the beautiful "A Single Man", director Tom Ford is back, with another stylish and ambitious film, this time adapting the novel by Austin Wright "Nocturnal Animals". The film follows the story of two characters, Susan Morrow and Edward Sheffield. Once married and very much in love, this couple has since divorced, and Susan is now unhappily married to stray husband by the name of Hutton. Susan unexpectedly receives a manuscript from Edward, for his first novel, which is dedicated to her. As Susan starts reading the book, the events from it start unfolding, in a particularly brutal way, while her memories of the disintegration of her first relationship come back. The book sparks memories of her decisions and what led Susan to her current life.
Tom Ford has managed with both features he has directed outline a distinct point of view, anchored simultaneously in a specific stylistic approach, and with distinct touches of surrealism. "Nocturnal Animals" is a film that marries two very distinct looks - Susan's world which is governed by clean surfaces and an elegant and minimal aesthetic, and the world that Susan enters through Edward's book, the gritty, brutal and painful scenario of West Texas. Even if at times the two sides of the story apparently clash, they bring to the surface the pain of the relationship that existed between the two lead characters. It's a film that at times feels a bit unbalanced - the story within the book needs a grittier look and feel, and a clever device such as the one that Pedro Almodovar used in the fantastic "Bad Education" to marry the film within the film, but there's so much to admire. The film features impeccable performances from Amy Adams, Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Shannon, and on a smaller note the always terrific Laura Linney makes a great cameo. The cinematography from Seamus McGarvey is luscious and stunning, the same going for the score of Abel Korzeniowski. A good film from a very talented storyteller.

"Donnie Darko" is director Richard Kelly's debut, and has become a cult film since its release in 2001. The film follows the story of high school senior Donnie Darko, a brilliant young man who's been dealing with some issues and is currently attending therapy in order to verbalize some of his frustrations. Following a random accident that almost kills him (and his family), Donnie starts listening to and seeing a giant rabbit who instructs him on what to do about certain occurrences at his school and some of the people that come into his life. The giant rabbit by the name of Frank, also warns Donnie about the upcoming end of everything. In parallel with all this, Donnie develops an interest in time travel, and how multiple realities can occur. It all falls into place one evening when Donnie's parents are out and he decides to throw a party, the precise date foreseen by Frank.
Even though "Donnie Darko" wasn't seen by many upon its release, the film has steadily gained a cult following. "Donnie Darko" manages to combine a smart screenplay, one that marries the nostalgia for 80s teen films, with science fiction themes (time travel) and also characters that have a foot in the indie world (characters that discuss politics, and where teenagers actually have a darker side to them). It's a film that doesn't balance character development in an optimal way, but it manages to have lots of threads that eventually tie together harmoniously, featuring a great cast (particularly with Jake Gyllenhaal showcasing the talent he'd further develop in other features) and a great score from Michael Andrews. It's a film that rewards upon multiple viewings. Here's hoping the director gets back to directing further features.

Director Jeff Nichols has followed his terrific "Midnight Special", with a more introspective feature, focused on a real civil rights case that occurred in the US in the 60s. The film takes place in Virginia and follows the story of Richard and Mildred, a young couple who decides to get married in Washington DC, when Mildred gets pregnant. Following their marriage, Richard decides to buy a plot of land in the same neighborhood as their families, so they can have a house of their own in that area. They soon find themselves in prison, since it's unlawful for inter-racial couples to wed and live in marital union in Virginia. After a plea bargain and a difficult situation that forces them to move back to DC, they eventually decide to fight the ruling and get the decision overturn.
"Loving" is a film that carries through some of the themes that have made Jeff Nichols' previous films so memorable: the relationship between the central couple is his main focus of attention, against all odds and obstacles that present themselves. The film presents this couple as two people simply trying to live their lives in peace, with a sense of dignity and union. It's also a film that for all its polish and execution, lacks a sense of wonder and discovery, something that both "Mud" and "Midnight Special" had in spades. It's impeccably brought to life, with good performances from both leads, but it's also a film that provides little insight into who these two people were. It provides a bit of insight to the crucial importance their case had they in abolishing a racist law, however it lacks extra depth to show a bit more of who these characters/people were. It's nonetheless a good film, that showcases the talent of Jeff Nichols and cinematographer Adam Stone.

Following the mediocre "The Legend of Tarzan" from this Summer, director David Yates is back in the Harry Potter universe, with the first film in a series of what is an offshoot from that character's world, this time around following the adventures of Newt Scamander. Newt finds himself in New York, in 1926, carrying a suitcase filled with magical creatures he's been collecting in order to avoid them becoming extinct. The magic world in America is quite different than the one in England, including the terminology used by magical practitioners. Due to a series of misunderstandings, Newt mixes his magical suitcase with the one being carried by Jacob Kowalski, who wants to open a bakery of his own. Newt, alongside Tina (a recently demoted investigator from the magic department), have to track down Jacob, while simultaneously figure out which creature has been destroying downtown New York, and threatening to start a war between the non magical world and the wizards.
David Yates has had a very successful career directing J.K. Rowling's film adaptations of her Harry Potter series (he directed 4 of that series). "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" is Rowling's first original screenplay, and follows the adventures of a small character in the Harry Potter books, the awkward and squeamish Newt Scamander. The film introduces a series of new characters from this universe quite rapidly, and sets its hero on the quest to protect magical creatures, while simultaneously giving him a non-magical and a strong female counterpart (and potential love interest) sidekicks. The film is successful in exploring the dynamics of the magic world versus the mundane one, however where most of the Harry Potter films exhibited some restraint in terms of the usage of visual effects to depict that universe, this film is almost hyperbolic in that regards. The creatures are always present, there's always too much happening and competing for attention. It's definitely a well oiled machine that has produced this film, which includes a great cast with Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston (from Paul Thomas Anderson's "Inherent Vice"), Ezra Miller, Colin Farrell and Samantha Morton creating interesting characters, while the cinematography from Philippe Rousselot is beautiful. It's an interesting first film, hopefully the remaining ones will find a better balance with character and story development.

Denis Villeneuve's impeccable career continues, following the great "Sicario" and the phenomenal "Enemy" (which I placed on the list of the best films of 2014). This time around he focuses on a superbly written screenplay by Eric Heisserer (based on a story written by Ted Chiang). The film details the events that follow when mysterious spacecrafts enter our planet and just hover in 12 different locales spread around Earth. Trying to successfully establish contact with the visitors, the military in the US reach out to Louise Banks, a professor of linguistics who has previously helped them with translations. Louise's life has been marked by personal tragedy, and she lives by herself in a somewhat secluded area. Louise is part of a team, also including physicist Ian Donnelly. Through her persistence, Louise manages to create contact and starts deciphering their language, as the clock is ticking when so many nations are ready to jump in and start attacking these unknown visitors. Louise's vision finally manages to help her understand what these visitors want and how humans can benefit from this arrival.
Denis Villeneuve has built a career based on nuanced screenplays, where everything and everyone is always more than what they seem. The characters that populate his films are always more than a simple cliche, and that's the case again with "Arrival". Of all his most recent films, this may actually be his best yet, one that successfully marries an emotional core, with a message anchored on alien visitors that approach humankind to reveal how much we actually need to collaborate with each other as fellow human beings and not as competitive drones and nations. It's a film about the nature of communication, both as metaphor and a literal mechanism: the way the characters interact with each other as the film evolves changes, as they understand more about each other and themselves. In a way, this film is all that Christopher Nolan's "Interstellar" wanted to be, but never was - it's cerebral without being cold, and it's heartfelt without being schmaltzy. It's a stunning film anchored by a terrific performance from Amy Adams, with the beautiful cinematography from Bradford Young and score from Johann Johansson. A truly great film worth watching!

Barry Jenkins' "Moonlight" follows his debut from 2008, the little seen "Medicine for Melancholy". The film tracks the story of Chiron, a young black man in Florida. The film is divided in three different chapters, and chronicles episodes of the life of that young man, first as child, secondly as a teenager and finally as an adult. In chapter one we witness Chiron being persecuted and bullied by his classmates. He's taken under the wing of the charismatic Juan, who alongside his wife Teresa take interest in his quiet demeanor, particularly when they realize his mother is a drug addict. The second chapter introduces us to teenager Chiron, who continues to be quiet and abused, while his mother's addiction has worsened. During this time he also discovers who he is sexually when he has a brief tryst with a colleague. The third chapter introduces us to Chiron as an adult, where he's become a version of Juan, selling drugs, and he's toughened up. A call from his friend Kevin sends him back on a journey to revisit his past and possibly make sense of his present.
"Moonlight" has been met with great reviews - much like Richard Linklater's "Boyhood" critical reception and storyline, we witness the growth of a young man through time (played by different actors in this case). The problem with this film, much like Richard Linklater's is the fact that in trying to compress such an extended scope of events and experiences into a normal feature, actually removes a lot of dynamics and actual character development that is needed to make these characters feel more than just sketches. "Moonlight" in particular, feels more poignant and touching during its first chapter, when Chiron as a child is discovering the world around him, and we accompany him in that journey, particular with Juan as his protector. Sadly Juan's character, much like Chiron's mother, are not given much screen time to fully understand who they are. Chiron's journey is definitely an interesting one, and the film is beautifully shot and acted, even when the supporting characters aren't as fully realized. An interesting film worth watching.

Marvel's output continues, this time around with a lesser well known character adaptation, which also takes the concept and execution of their traditional films in a different direction. The film focuses on Doctor Strange a character created by Steve Ditko in 1963, and who has since become a staple in the Marvel universe, appearing across multiple storylines and alongside diverse and iconic teams. The film introduces us to Stephen Strange, a highly successful and arrogant neurosurgeon, who suffers a horrible car accident, which leaves him with serious medical problems in his hands. After exhausting all available help and his financial resources, Strange goes to Nepal, seeking a place where assistance can be found. That help and new awakening come through the aid of the Ancient One, a master in mystical arts, who has long been a protector of Earth, and who introduces Strange to different arts, while simultaneously empowering him to defend threats that are looming.
Director Scott Derrickson who rose to fame with "The Exorcism of Emily Rose", finally manages to distill enough wonder and audacity in the typical Marvel film. "Doctor Strange" benefits from being a well written introductory tale, one that is filled with typical comic book cliches, including the arrogance of the central hero, who has to learn the price of humility through hardship, to the presence of the mentor who guides the hero through perilous tasks. Where this film jumps qualitative hurdles, lies in the smart casting, particularly with Benedict Cumberbatch and Tilda Swinton elevating the quality of the film, adding gravitas and depth, alongside the fantastic visual style, where the dazzling visual effects really become an intricate part of the universe that is being presented and showcased. This film contains humor and simultaneously a sense of wonder into this new universe, that makes it feel fresh and different. It's a colorful splash into a genre that is starting to feel stale. Worth watching.

Directors Scott McGehee and David Siegel followed their well received and auspicious debut "Suture" with "The Deep End", which definitely put them on the map (the film made its debut at the Sundance Film Festival of 2001). The film is an adaptation of the novel by Elisabeth Holding and follows the story of Margaret Hall, a mother of three, whose husband is a pilot on an aircraft carrier. She discovers her oldest son, teenage Beau, is having an affair with a much older man, who owns a nightclub located in the town close to where they live. Following an argument between Beau and Darby, the latter has an accident and dies close to Margaret's house. She discovers it and afraid that is somewhat related to her son, she dumps the body in a cove. The police starts investigating the situation as a homicide. To make matters worse, a man shows up with a tape of Darby and Beau having sex, threatening to leak it to the police unless he gets $50,000.
"The Deep End" is a film that slowly unveils the tribulations of Margaret Hall, the central character, who discovers more about her son and the perils that threaten her seemingly idyllic life. The film slowly adds further difficulties to the character's journey, all the while showing how an intelligent and resourceful woman deals with the tribulations that come into her life. The central character is a perfect showcase for the chameleonic Tilda Swinton, who makes Margaret a compassionate and intelligent woman, fiercely protective of her children, but also ready to do what it takes to protect them. The film is beautifully shot by Giles Nuttgens and features a good score from Peter Nashel. A very good film worth revisiting!

After the well received "Small Time Crooks", Woody Allen continued with his comedy streak, this time doing a period piece taking place in the 1940s. The film focuses on an insurance investigator by the name of C.W. and his relationship with a efficiency expert, Betty Ann, both of whom work for the same employer. While Betty Ann is secretly having an affair with C.W.'s boss, they clash about everything, until one evening they are both hypnotized by a crooked hypnotist who wants them to steal jewels for them. This sets them both on a series of adventures, all the while C.W. and Betty Ann start falling for each other.
"The Curse of the Jade Scorpion" is a screwball comedy much like some of Woody Allen's earlier films. It's to date his biggest budget film, and the one he confesses his biggest disappointment with, largely because of his decision to cast himself as the lead. The film tries to recapture the spirit of Frank Capra's and Howard Hawks' films, and to a certain extent it does manage to do so, with Woody Allen's traditional sense of humor inserted, however it lacks the momentum and spark that those classical films always had (such as "It Happened One Night" and "Bringing up Baby"). The cast is uniformly good, with Helen Hunt, Charlize Theron and Dan Aykroyd giving some extra dimension to the thin story, but the film lacks both the energy and satire to really elevate it to something more memorable. It's still a film that exhibits the traditional polish, wit and intelligence from a director who's nothing short of brilliant and productive.

"Bridget Jone's Diary" is the debut feature of Sharon Maguire, and follows a career directing documentaries and TV series. The film is the adaptation of the very successful novel by Helen Fielding, and it follows the adventures of young singleton Bridget Jones. At her 32nd birthday, Bridget realizes she's still single, a bit heavier than she liked to be, and decides to turn her life around. Sadly she gets involved with her boss at the publishing house where she currently works, which makes things awkward when he turns out to be less than scrupulous. Bridget is forced to get out of her situation, and find a new job, and simultaneously keep an eye out for an interesting acquaintance of hers (and of her ex), who keeps popping up.
"Bridget Jone's Diary" is a romantic comedy which lives of the charm and charisma that the lead actors have. It's a film that doesn't have much novelty or much of a different angle, aside from the fact that its heroine is apparently a single woman who is slightly clumsy, and apparently a bit overweight. The film succeeds in captivating its audience since the three leads have undeniable charisma, and make the film far surpass the cliches they find themselves in. Renee Zellweger, manages to create a character that is approachable, flawed and funny as she tackles life in general and dating in particular. She's easy to grasp and understand, and that's one of the reasons why the film is so successful. All the leads know the film is a lark, and there's definitely a sense of the film being lightweight and not to be taken too seriously. In the vein of "Four Weddings and a Funeral", this is a film that takes the ordinary and makes it look and sound funny and at times touching. A fair comedy worth revisiting.

Director Jean Pierre Jeunet followed his Hollywood venture of "Alien: Resurrection", with what turned out to be his biggest critical and commercial success thus far, "Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain". The film focuses on the story of Amelie, a young and beautiful french woman, living in Paris as a waitress. The film delves deeper into the life of young Amelie, who was erroneously thought of having a heart condition when she was a little girl. Amelie leads a quiet life, but she finds a lost treasure belonging to the former occupant of her
apartment, and decides to return it to him. Witnessing the happiness that gesture brings, she starts trying to accomplish this for the people around her, and to whom she's connected. All of this keeps consuming her until she meets Nino, and realizes she's been neglecting finding someone to love.
Jean-Pierre Jeunet who started his career with art director Marc Caro, has always been considered a director who focuses more on visuals than character development. "Amelie" who took the screens by storm in 2001, was the perfect example of a thin story brought to life with precious visual details, and anecdotal supporting characters. The film has a fairly straight premise, but it manages to imbue romanticism into Amelie's quest to help everyone while forgetting her own love life. It's a film that at times falls prey to an artificialism that makes the story feel overly sugary and renders the characters nothing more than sketches. The cast has nothing much to do, aside from bringing to life these collections of ticks and stereotypes, but Audrey Tautou manages to put some extra dimension in her character. The production team is impeccable, particularly the luscious cinematography from Bruno Delbonnel. An overrated film from an interesting director.

Director Gavin O'Connor second release of 2016, following the troubled "Jane Got a Gun", is an interesting view of a particular professional man, who veers off the traditional path since he's an autistic/savant/killer/accountant. The film follows the story of Christian Wolff, who is an extremely organized accountant. We come to find out he works for some large criminal associations as a hired accountant, who puts things in order in terms of financial handling. He's also a very resourceful killer since he had army training. Through a series of flashbacks, we come to realize that Christian had a very unorthodox upbringing, with his military father disciplining him and his brother very strictly, particularly due to his "high functioning autism" (and his father's need for him to integrate into society). Christian has a handler who sends him on a special project with a robotics company, who is in need of a thorough view and analysis of their accounting. This sets out a series of events that even Christian didn't foresee.
"The Accountant" is an interesting film that sets out to place an anti-hero at the center of its attention. Christian Wolff is a mix of many characters (Melvin Udall from James L. Brooks' "As Good as it Gets" springs to mind), but he manages to surpass the habitual cliches, by adding the fact that he's also a very resilient killer (imagine Anton Chigurh from "No Country for Old Men", but with more empathy and better fashion sense). The film gives enough backdrop to Christian's upbringing, and we get acquainted with his daily habits and sense of routine, something that the new project he tackles throws into disarray (with the appearance of the female figure to bring disruption into his well structured life). It's a film and a story that feels like a combination of a multitude of other films and characters, which never really becomes more than just a good exercise for a talented group of actors to flex their acting muscles. Ben Affleck, Anna Kendrick, J.K. Simmons go through the motions with consumed professionalism, while the remaining cast doesn't have much to do. It's not a bad film, but it's a quickly forgettable one.

Director Tim Burton is back, following "Big Eyes", which sadly went largely unnoticed. "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" is an adaptation of Ransom Riggs' first book of a very successful trilogy. The film follows the adventures of a young boy by the name of Jake. Jake lives in Florida, and is tasked with checking on his grandfather Abe, who lives by himself and is apparently battling dementia. Much to Jake's shock, he finds his grandfather murdered, with some disturbing creature lurking by. Jake's grandfather had told him stories about peculiar children who lived with him during the 1940s after he escaped from Poland. In order to get some sense of closure, Jake and his father, both go to Wales and visit the small island where Abe and the peculiar children lived. After an initial visit, Jake comes to realize the children are still alive, and there's much to the story he does not yet know.
A new feature from Tim Burton is always an occasion to celebrate the work of someone with a unique universe and distinct point of view. Though his latest features have been irregular in terms of quality, the ideas the director brings forward always render his films worthy of viewing. "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" is one of his features where his trademarks seem less present, and where the film in itself feels more generic. Based on a story that is filled with his usual anti-heroes, would seem like a superb match for his touch, but sadly the outcome is something devoid of soul. The screenplay is also convoluted and tries to condense the three books into a single feature, which removes space for a lot of interesting character development that could occur. It's a missed opportunity, since the material is wonderfully quirky, which suits this talented director, who has his impeccable production team with him (cinematographer Bruno Delbonnel, editor Chris Lebenzon), though even the very talented cast can't lift this beyond a middling effort (and that includes the stupendous Eva Green, who usually elevates everything she's in). Here's hoping the next film is a better one for Tim Burton.

After the hugely successful and influential "Saving Private Ryan", director Steven Spielberg decided to tackle a different challenge: bring to life a story cherished by Stanley Kubrick, who had always wanted to make the film and who passed away before being able to do so. The film is an adaptation of the short story by Brian Aldiss, and it takes place in the future, when the face of the planet has changed due to the melting of the ice caps. In this new world, Artificial Intelligence is a reality, and a particular company has devised a plan to launch into market androids who have feelings and can be taught to love back. These androids sold under the moniker of David (the male model) are revolutionizing the concept of A.I. because they emulate human behavior so strongly. A family going through a dramatic event in their lives, has the opportunity to get one of the first models. The mother initially resistant, learns to embrace the android as a son, and loves him as her own. However once her biological son miraculously comes back to life, she finds out their relationship isn't so easy. This forces her to abandon David, who has to fend for himself, and go on a quest to gain humanity and the love of her mother.
"A.I" is a film filled with so much wonder and detail, that to this day stands as an example of what a true visionary Steven Spielberg is (when truly inspired). The film manages to retain the core elements of his work, namely a central character who is thriving for something that is at times unreachable, but nonetheless worth risking everything for. The film also has the concept of a somewhat dysfunctional family unit, under multiple guises, as is one of his trademarks. Where "A.I" is a departure is the deeper sadness behind the story of young David, who is very much like a puppet wanting to become real, only to find out that magic does not exist, and that his Geppetto can't make him into a real boy (the film has a great tie with Carlo Collodi's book, "Pinocchio"). It's a narrative filled with surprise, heart and intelligence, much like his best films, featuring a stunning look, score, cinematography and fantastic performances from Haley Joel Osment and Jude Law. A great film always worth revisiting.

"You Can Count on Me" was Kenneth Lonergan's debut feature, and was met with universal praise upon its release at the Sundance Film Festival of 2000. The film follows the story of two siblings, Sammy and Terry, both of whom are quite close following the loss of their parents at a young age. While Sammy has stayed in their hometown, and is parenting a young boy on her own, Terry has drifted throughout the country. He returns to town completely broke, asking for Sammy's assistance, something she provides for, in the hopes he can also be a male reference figure to her young son Rudy. Sammy, who is dating someone, unexpectedly starts an affair with her boss, while Terry gets involved in a scuffle with Rudy's biological father. As their lives seem to be drifting in different directions, the siblings both come to terms with their decisions and lives.
Kenneth Lonergan's debut announced his voice as one to follow - stories based on the relationships between characters that have dimension, who are flawed, deeply human and relatable. "You Can Count on Me" manages to be simultaneously heartfelt punctuated with some dashes of comedy, much like relationships in real life, and very much like life in general. The dynamics between the siblings is impeccably brought to life by two fantastic actors: the wonderful Laura Linney who finally had a role that was at the center of the narrative, and the newcomer (at the time) Mark Ruffalo, who was just breaking out, and who was simply superb as Terry. This is a film that is successful in the depiction of the lives of characters that are eminently real, with heart and humor. A very good film worth watching.

Following the little seen but well received "Apt Pupil", director Bryan Singer shifted his focus from independent and smaller scale films, to what has become a successful career directing big budget films. "X-Men" is an adaptation of the Marvel comic book which was created in 1963, which followed the adventures of a group of super powered young men and women, who had abilities that set them apart from everyone. This group was directed by Professor Xavier, and though they fought to protect humanity from destruction, the very humans they defended didn't trust them. The film follows the story of two random people who meet under dire circumstances: a young girl by the name of Marie and a rough loner by the name of Logan. These two strangers have different abilities, and become the target of other super powered mutants, who have their own agendas. To their aid comes a group with Professor Xavier as their leader.
The immensely successful "X-Men" series started by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, has been a part of pop culture ever since it debuted in 1963. After a few cartoon series, the film adaptation was one where Bryan Singer adopted the serious tone that Tim Burton had already created with his dark take on "Batman". Bryan Singer uses this first installment in the successful series to introduce the characters of the different mutant groups, sadly never giving much for each of the characters to do, save for Hugh Jackman's Wolverine, who ends up being the center of the story. The film successfully creates an interesting dynamic between Ian McKellen's Magneto character, and Patrick Stewart's Professor Xavier, something that continues in the far superior sequel, but aside from this highlight, the story on this first installment is meager in development. Both Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart give strong performances, while the remainder of the cast has either nothing to do (Halle Berry) or are miscast (Anna Paquin). An interesting first stab at an iconic property that has since become a better (and uneven) series of films.

Director Curtis Hanson followed his highly acclaimed "LA Confidential" with another fantastic film, this time adapted from a novel by Michael Chabon. The film follows the life of Grady Tripp, a published author, whose first book was deemed brilliant and who has since settled into a teaching job while trying to get his second novel out. Grady has started a romantic relationship with the married chancellor of the college where he teaches, while simultaneously one of his brilliant students sparks an intellectual interest in him, while another student has a romantic interest in him. To make matters more interesting, his literary agent comes into town, wanting to see the state of his eternally delayed new novel, adding an extra edge to Grady's already stressful life.
Curtis Hanson was a director who managed to successfully portray and capture the complexities of life, deftly combining elements of drama and comedy. His films, even the more genre driven ones, always manage to give insight into whatever characters he presents on screen, and "Wonder Boys" is a perfect example of that. Using the excellent Michael Chabon book as a starting point, Hanson encapsulates the life of Grady into a perfectly rendered case of someone struggling to grow up, and finally accepting their limitations and responsibilities. It's a film that perfectly balances the angst of romantic relationships as a person grows older, with the humor that comes from almost surreal situations that occur in every day life. The cast is fantastic, with Michael Douglas, Frances McDormand, Tobey Maguire and Robert Downey Jr. all creating indelible characters. The cinematography from Dante Spinotti is luscious and beautiful, and the overall production team is nothing short from fantastic. An excellent film always worth revisiting.

Following the success of "Contact", the year 2000 saw the release of two Robert Zemeckis films, with "What Lies Beneath" premiering first, followed by "Cast Away" a few months later. Both films were huge commercial hits, with the latter also garnering Oscar nominations. "What Lies Beneath" is a thriller which functions as a Hitchcock homage. The film follows the story of a couple, Claire and Norman Spencer. Claire, a retired concert cellist, has just sent off her daughter to college, and keeps herself busy around the house, while Norman is a research scientist at a nearby University. Claire starts witnessing strange events around the house, hearing voices, and even seeing the face of a young woman reflected in the water. Initially Claire thinks that these events may be related to their neighbors, but after starting therapy, she actually decides to make contact with the ghost. What she finds out is beyond what she expected.
"What Lies Beneath" is a smaller film in scale for Robert Zemeckis, who has continuously pushed the envelope for decades in terms of what can be shown onscreen. Among his many boundary pushing films there's "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?", "Forrest Gump" and more recently "The Walk". "What Lies Beneath" is best described as a ghost story, where the narrative slowly reveals the true culprit behind the ghost that is haunting the house of the central character. Sadly, the characters are never fully developed beyond the usual cliches, but Robert Zemeckis manages to create a sense of dread, and suspense that makes the film successful and watchable. It's an impeccably assembled film, with a solid central performance from Michelle Pfeiffer, and an elegant cinematography from Don Burgess. What the film lacks in novelty and depth, it compensates with style and thrills. Worth watching.

Since the beautiful and well received "I Am Love", director Luca Guadagnino has kept himself busy with shorts and documentaries, with "A Bigger Splash" being his first narrative feature since then. The film is based on Jacques Deray's "La Piscine", and follows the story of Marianne Lane, a world renowned singer, who following a throat surgery, is spending a vacation in Italy with her boyfriend recovering and generally resting. Their idyllic retreat is disturbed by the arrival of the charismatic Harry Hawkes, Marianne's former lover and producer, alongside his recently discovered daughter, Penelope. This brings a new dynamic to the group with dramatic consequences.
Following a beautiful and widely acclaimed film is always a tricky matter, but director Luca Guadagnino successfully overcomes the challenge, and presents a film that though unbalanced, is still beautifully crafted. The film showcases the relationships between these characters, slowly revealing the dynamics that existed in the past, alongside the possible resentments and passions. This allows for the characters to be more than simply archetypes, and demonstrates their inner passions and turmoil. The film falters a bit towards the end, with the introduction of some dramatic elements that don't resonate with the mood and style which was built previously, but for the most part, the central relationships are captivating and magnetic. Tilda Swinton and Ralph Fiennes create fantastic characters and make the film both charismatic and entertaining. The cinematography from Yorick Le Saux is stunning. A flawed yet interesting film worth watching.

Following the astounding success of "The 6th Sense", director M. Night Shyamalan quickly returned, with yet another great feature. The film focuses on the story of Security Guard David Dunn. At the beginning of the film we witness David miraculously surviving a catastrophic train
crash outside Philadelphia. He is the sole survivor out of 132
passengers and he also appears to be completely unharmed. Following this traumatic event, David is contacted by Elijah Price, who runs a comic book art
gallery and suffers from a genetic condition that makes his bones very
easy to break. Elijah has been a comic book fan all his life, and he has a theory that superheroes are actually based on real
people. Elijah believes David may be one of these people. He has hardly
ever been injured or sick, and he has tremendous strength, plus an
uncanny ability to tell if someone is about to or has done something
bad. David is surprised by this notion, but suddenly a series of events put this theory to the test.
M. Night Shyamalan was at the peak of his creative powers when he created "Unbreakable". The director allows for the feature to slowly develop and bring the seemingly preposterous concept to a possible reality, giving enough space for the characters to be more than standard archetypes. It's a film that smartly introduces us to the universe of the main characters, allowing us to really create empathy for what they go through, and how suddenly Elijah's theory can throw reality upside down. The film slowly peels away the facet of every day life, revealing the actual destiny of its main characters. The director smartly weaves these relationships, and allows for the actors to create interesting characters, particularly Bruce Willis and Samuel L. Jackson, who reunite following their experience on "Die Hard with a Vengeance" (which John McTiernan directed in 1995). The cinematography from Eduardo Serra is stunning (as usual), as is the score from James Newton Howard. A very good film worth revisiting.

Steven Soderbergh finished the year 2000 with a stunning feature, following his equally good "Erin Brockovich" which had premiered in March of that year. The film is an adaptation of a British tv show by the name of Traffik, and it follows the illegal drug trafficking from a series of different perspectives, namely the ones who use it, the police officers trying to dismantle the distribution scheme, the politicians and the traffickers. The film has three main storylines, with the first one focusing on the drug trade in Mexico. This storyline focuses specifically on Javier, a police officer who finds himself in a situation that slowly reveals itself to be compromising. Javier wants above all, to make life better for his neighborhood, and he sees nothing but corruption in the police force and army. The second storyline focuses on a powerful politician, Robert Wakefield, who is appointed to a high ranking position to tackle the war on drugs. Without his knowledge, his daughter has slowly descended to drug addiction, and that takes a huge toll on his family and professional life. The third storyline focuses on the DEA side of things, in the US. The long fingers of the Mexican drug cartels have made their way into the US, and when one of their puppets is caught, his pregnant wife tries to sort things out, with surprising results.
"Traffic" is a very ambitious film, tracing the impacts of drug trafficking and usage, across multiple countries and storylines, with director Steven Soderbergh (also working as a cinematographer), creating a differentiation for each segment, with different stylistic choices. The film is very successful in bringing the grittiness of the drug trade, of the violence that surrounds it and its consequences to life. It also showcases on a more individual focused case, how drugs can be destructive, and mortgage someone's future almost permanently. It's a beautifully stated work, which is the trademark of the talented Steven Soderbergh, which mixes his more experimental side, while also maintaining a straightforward approach to storytelling. The performances of the ensemble cast are all great, highlighting Benicio Del Toro, who has never been better. A very good film always worth revisiting.

Following "Sweet and Lowdown", director Woody Allen returned in 2000, with a new release, this one a clear return to his more openly comedic features. The film focuses on the story of Ray, a fumbling small time criminal, who devises a plan with his partners
in crime to re-open a local pizza place and dig through to the bank down
the street. Since they can't cook pizza, but Ray's wife is a great baker, they decide to start selling cookies. While the drilling operation keeps going, the cookie business takes off and the team finds themselves suddenly rich
business people. As their wealth increases, both Ray and his wife Frenchy become aware they are mocked for their lack of good taste in both decor and lack of culture. They hire an art dealer, David, to help them acquire a certain sophistication that will allow them to easily blend with the upper class.
"Small Time Crooks" was a return to Woody Allen's screwball comedies of the 70s (such as "Take the Money and Run" and "Bananas"), while still throwing some good incisive digs at New York's elitist and ridiculous upper class. The film uses a classic setup, with the crooks that become rich by accident, only to discover that the wealthy have no heart and that they only focus on people's bank accounts. It's a fun film, that features a great cast, with Tracey Ullman in particular creating a terrific character, but with equally solid supporting work from Hugh Grant and Elaine Stritch. The film also features the beautiful cinematography from Zhao Fei (known in particular for his great work with Zhang Yimou in "Raise the Red Lantern"). A very good comedy worth revisiting!

About Me

Joao Pedro Canhenha is a UX Creative Director and Lead Product Designer (UI/UX/Visual Design) who has started developing projects in the Interactive arena since the year 2001. Since then, he has worked on a wide variety of projects, of different natures and in different conditions. The path has been utterly rewarding and as a result it has been a constant growth experience, one always filled with discovery and enlightenment. Ultimately the goal has always been the same: providing solutions that are rewarding and that meet what the client/project aims for. Something unique, specifically conceived and always functional. The goal is to continue developing projects that reach wider audiences, that bring satisfaction to clients and ultimately find the balance between functionality and technical expertise.